A.M. Greenlist: Prepping for summer
>> Want to stay cool this summer? There's a quick solution that will "lower summertime temperatures in cities, dramatically reduce your air-conditioning bills and help trap some of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming": plant a tree!
>> The most eco wading pool is the public pool -- or the beach! Says Umbra of Grist: "If you live in a city with a nearby wading pool, please use that publicly available resource instead of your kiddie pool. It's the public transit of summer swimming."
>> Drive, don't fly, to your summer vacation destination, says Pablo of Salon.com, before adding this: "But are you sure you really have to travel? Consider taking what is being called a 'staycation.' "
>> One staycation idea: Form a summer nature club. "Parents, grandparents and even kids can create clubs quickly in any neighborhood, urban or suburban. This is an approach that can reduce fear and increase motivation."
>> If you do decide to drive to your summer destination, use these hyper-miling techniques to save gas, money, and a little teeny tiny bit of the environment.
>> Summer dilemmas for the modern eco-parent. Lou Bendrick shares her best tips in Grist: "I like to approach the topic of global warming the way I approach the topic of sex: with a steady stream of age-appropriate facts. My first grader, for instance, ... doesn't need to know about ocean acidification any more than she needs know about chlamydia." Relatedly, here are tips on greening your kid this summer.
Photo by Oz Mendoza via Flickr
